A TEENAGER and his parents were found shot dead at a house in the early hours of this morning.

A man and woman in their late 40s were discovered inside the house in Hermitage, while the body of a teenage boy was found in the garden.

All three are believed to have died from gunshot wounds and a gun was found in the house.

Police made the gruesome discovery at 1.45am at the house in Slanting Hill, a sleepy lane on the edge of the west Berkshire village.

They had earlier sealed off the area around the house after the woman who was later found dead called police to report an armed man in or outside the property.

Armed officers arrived at the house shortly after the 7.10pm call but did not go out into the house, fearing the gunmen were holding people hostage inside.

After several hours without communication from the house the police went inside, where they found the three bodies.

This morning the house was still sealed off and scenes of crime officers were conducting a search of the property.

A 50-metre stretch of the road was closed off and police were directing cars away from the area.

Police would not confirm the identities of the three victims, but the coroner has been informed and formal identifications are expected tomorrow.

Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, and it is believed the couple who lived in the house had two children, a son and daughter.

The house had recently been put up for sale.

Last night, the road was shut from the junction of the B4009 with Red Shute Hill and the Marlston Road junction at the other end, but at 5am it was reopened with only a 50-metre stretch remaining shut.

Neighbours had been kept in their homes, although the police did not evacuate anyone from their houses.

One man, trying to go out to the pub to celebrate his birthday at 9pm, was told by police to stay in his house, and others trying to get home were told to stay away.

Paul Anthem, spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said: "We got the call at 7.10pm from a woman saying an armed man was in the immediate area.

"Police went to just outside the house in Slanting Hill, and sealed off an area around the house and surrounding roads.

"Anyone coming back was asked to remain outside and were advised to stay with friends or relatives.

"Firearms officers camped outside. It was a situation where we believed an armed man was in or outside a property with possibly at least one other person.

"We had to be very careful, we couldn't just bound in there."

He said that following the call, police from Newbury and Pangbourne stations had to find the house, seal off the area and deploy CID and uniformed officers and firearms officers at a discreet distance.

There was a tactical assessment made over several hours, during which time there was no communication with the people in the house.

He said tactical advisers and firearms officers had to make an assessment and look at the risk factors before entering the house.

"There was an armed man, possibly with a hostage, so we couldn't bound in, we had to take tactical advice and make sure it was safe. I can't overemphasise enough that if you have an armed man in a house seen waving a gun with a hostage you have to be very careful."

He said police finally went in at 1.45am.

"We had not heard anything for a considerable amount of time and an assessment was made that it was time to make a move.

"We weighed up the concern for the

person inside and decided to move in there. You can't rush into these things - it is a delicate process.